Just Breathe
by The Absconding One
Summary: An encounter in the water temple. What happens when the darkness is no longer there to shelter the light from insanity? Please R


**Just Breathe  
By Megumi, The Absconding One**

The temple was silent. The water still, and calm. Fog hovered around the chamber, lazily dancing round his feet.

He was locked in this place, with no way to escape, he could only hope for the next shift of guards to come through. Then he would be freed.

The ethereal music that seemed to come from the waters of the temple themselves drifted through his mind, and he tapped his boot toe in time, the motion disturbing the reflection that he cast in the water. Another sound was made known, footsteps in the outside corridor. He smiled. Perfect.

As the footsteps paused outside of the door he began the exercise that he preformed in each of his fights. A simple thing, but it had won him more battles then any other in this dark land. Still smiling, he closed his eyes, focusing his breath.

_In_.

His eyes snapped open, as the door slid open. A figure made itself known, and for a moment he was taken by surprise. After a moment he laughed, though silently, so as not to alert the new enemy of his presence. Was this the best that Ganondorf could could come up with, after all these years? The king must have lost his imaginative touch, to come up with a monster as silly as that.

_Out_.

The other began striding across the chamber, taking no notice of him. Reaching the other end it paused, looking in puzzlement at the door, then warily at the rest of the room. It's features, a mirror of his own, scanned the chamber.

_In._

He stepped from the protection of the tree he had leaned against, smirking at his opponent. The mimic gave a horrid grin, reaching up and unsheathing three feet of cold steel.

_Out_.

He drew the Sword, his blade mirroring that of the sword in the other's hand.

_In_.

They took up battle stances, each gazing leveling at the other, though the mimic had a cruel glint in his eye. 

"To the death, Shadow. I need a challenge after all of that swimming."

_Out_.

The mimic gave a manic cry and charged forward, sword ready and screaming for blood.

His blood.

_In_.

He brought the Sword up to block the mimic's thrust, barely managing to fend off the other.

_Out_.

Now he charged, but was halted mid stride by a yellow sting in his eyes. What was this? 

_In_. 

The mimic attacked, taking advantage of his distracted state. A deep gash formed on his left side.

_Out_. 

The sting cleared, and he looked with fury upon the mimic. He fell back, taking a wary stance. Ganondorf had given this one some skill with a blade, and the typical reliance on cheep tricks. He looked upon his enemy, eyes blazing. He had wanted a challenge...

_In_.

Thrust.

_Out_.

Parry.

_In_. 

Thrust. Lunge.

_Out_.

Parry. Dodge.

_In_.

The other smiled wickedly as he charged, making no move to block until he was close enough to slash.

_Out_.

Fire exploded around him, searing him, burning his already dark flesh. 

_In_. 

The other came at him, sword drawn. 

_Out_.

Slash!

_In_. 

Up! 

_Out_.

Down!

_In_.

Stars exploded in front of his eyes as he fell to his knees, and still the blows continued. A challenge he had received.

_Out_.

Pain.

_In_. 

Red.

_Out_. 

Finally, the assault halted. He had barely the strength left to lift his head, but this he did, and he saw the mimic with that same, wicked smile on his cold features. 

_In_.

It was leaving him now, the pain. A cold, numbing sensation was beginning to seep through his broken body. He had lost...

_Out_.

Lost an enemy who looked his twin...

_In_.

The other strode boldly forward, steel blue eyes glinting mercilessly. 

"Are you cold, Shadow? Here, let me warm you up a bit."

The fire came once more, burning, singing, lacerating his flesh until it was burned black.

_In_.

Breath came in gasps as he turned his eyes to those of the mimic. 

_Out_.

No longer did he have the strength to hold himself up. He was defeated. 

_In_.

He slumped to the floor with a moan. Defeated by his own darkness.

_Out_. 

A last staggered breath. For only true darkness could have fought with such hell fury.

_In._

And then, all was black. 

---

"C'mon Navi, lets go."

"Link..."

"He got what he deserved, Navi. They all did."

"Have you become so cold, Link?"

"..."

"Well."

"Navi... Let's just go."

~fin~

A/N - Did anyone understand that? 'Cause I got lost somewhere in the second paragraph. See, my theory is that Dark Link is the dark part of Linky-boy's soul, split off from him when Link got sealed in the Sacred Realm. Dark Link, or 'Shadow', as I call him lived in Hyrule for seven years whilst Link slept. But without darkness to make one whole, one can tend to go a little insane...

I may do more with this idea, 'cause I'm rather desperate to prove that I can write non humor fics.

Please R&R, as always!  



End file.
